A drone photo taken on Dec. 30, 2025 shows a train running on a bridge crossing the Huaihongxin River of the Hefei-Xinyi high-speed railway in east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan)

China's national railway operator said Sunday that the country's total operating railway mileage nationwide has increased from 146,300 km to 165,000 km during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).

The expansion represents a 12.8 percent increase during the five-year period, according to the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

During the 2021-2025 period, China's operating high-speed railway mileage increased by 32.98 percent from 37,900 km to 50,400 km, making the country home to the world's largest high-speed rail network.

In 2025 alone, China reported railway fixed asset investment of 901.5 billion yuan (about 128.3 billion U.S. dollars), and put into operation 3,109 km of new rail lines, including 2,862 km of high-speed rail lines.

China will continue to advance the construction of the railway network during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the railway operator said, noting that the national railway operating mileage is expected to reach 180,000 km by 2030, including about 60,000 km of high-speed rail.